Meadow's Most Recent: January 31, 2019
A Place For Us, The Dead Zone, The Night Tiger and The Kiss Quotient. As well as what I was reading in 2018 and 2017 (i.e Ready Player One and All The Ugly and Wonderful Things).
Read MoreA Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza
I have tried reading many many family dramas in my past and I've only liked maybe 1 or 2, so I just know it's not my genre and to stay away. Well, my book club chose this book for January and I am so beyond glad they did as I would have never been able to enjoy this book so thoroughly otherwise!
Read MoreThe Dead Zone by Stephen King
This was only the second of Stephen King's books that I've read; the first being The Green Mile and I enjoyed every moment of The Dead Zone even with the roller coaster of emotions it created. This is a tragic hero in its finest.
Read MoreMeadow's Most Recent: January 12, 2019
The Song of Achilles and The Kiss Quotient and what I was reading in 2018 and 2017 (i.e The Gift of the Magi and The Glass Castle).
Read MoreThe Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
I was really excited about this book based on the description and that it won Goodread’s 2018 Best of Romance Award. I’m all for a good typical and predictable romance book. But quickly, this book only focuses on the sex and hidden emotions and loses sight of the uniqueness of the characters.
Read MoreThe Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo
This novel by Yangsze Choo was beautifully written and included so many things that make a fantastic story; mystery, history, magical realism and romance. There was also ancient Chinese folklore surrounding a tiger and restless spirits, which lead to significant superstition from the community members.
Read MoreThe Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
This novel was about petty gods and desperate men. It’s about pride and greed that lead to a decades long and very bloody war that achieves nothing for those fighting it. It’s also a bit of a love story without being overtly sexual nor taking away from the legend we all know.
Read MoreMeadow's Most Recent: December 31, 2018
The Winter of the Witch, Shantaram, And Then There were None, Murder on the Orient Express, White Fang, Silver Linings Playbook and Green Mile and more… (yes another long one, I had some quick reads this time around)
Read MoreThe Green Mile by Stephen King
All. The. Emotions! This was my first Stephen King book and I never expected to feel such a roller coaster of emotions from reading his stories. Terrified, absolutely. But gut-wrenchingly tender moments, heart-breaking moments, sympathy and pain? No, not so much.
Read MoreMy Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail and John Adams
Definitely an interesting historic read, but I do think it got to be a bit too long since the letters were in their entirety and often I found myself lost since they were writing about so many random topics that didn't have context other than to each other. I'd recommend it, but warn someone that it can be a bit dry and long at times.
Read MoreWhite Fang by Jack London
Overall, this novel was well written and Jack London brilliantly described the environment and elements through the eyes of an animal while still making sense for a human.
Read MoreMurder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
This was the second Agatha Christie book I ever read and I was just as entertained as I was with And Then There Were None. I know that more of Christie's novels are in my future because she writes such clever and unique mysteries.
Read MoreAnd Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
This was my first Agatha Christie novel and I absolutely loved it. It was such a fascinating idea; ten people are lured to a remote island under false pretenses and quickly find out they are to be punished by death for 'crimes' they have committed in the past and got away with.
Read MoreSilver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
Silver Linings Playbook was endearing, heart-wrenching, and yes, funny. Matthew Quick uses some comedic moments surrounding Eagles football and awkward encounters but at the heart of the story, this novel is about debilitating pain and how we heal and grow from it.
Read MoreMeadow's Most Recent: December 1, 2018 Part 2
Vengeful, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, A Wrinkle in Time, Every Breath, Little Fires Everywhere, Station Eleven and others. (It’s another long one!)
Read MoreStation Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
I'm a sucker for post-apocalyptic novels, but especially when they are creative and thought provoking. Station Eleven was just that and Emily St. John Mandel wrote a more subtle darkness in this post-apocalyptic world that captivated me.
Read MoreLittle Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
It's difficult for me to enjoy books where the majority is based on reality but then certain situations or characters' actions are so ridiculous and ring so false. When this happens, it alters my entire perception on the story. This happened in Little Fires Everywhere and made it too far-fetched and frustrating for me to fully enjoy the rest of the book.
Read MoreA Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
I was not one of the students assigned this book in school. I know many people my age were and I wish I had been as I believe A Wrinkle in Time teaches some very important lessons for a middle schooler to hear. Even as an adult, I found the messages heart-warming and relevant along with an entertaining sci-fi quick read.
Read MoreShantaram by Gregory David Roberts
“So it begins, this story, like everything else-with a woman, and a city, and a little bit of luck.” The first page of this novel ends with this sentence, and at this point of reading only three paragraphs, I already knew I was hooked and captivated by Gregory David Roberts story.
Read MoreThe Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë
I’m so glad I decided to give the Brontë sisters another chance this year as I was captivated by not just one, but all three of the sisters’ writing and novels. They were all able to create characters that were pretty terrible but also so enjoyable to discover.
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